"Ann, please, you need to leave."

"Why-so you can be alone with your student? Isn't she a little young for you? When we talked earlier, you told me she didn't mean anything to you. Have you changed your mind already?"

"What are you talking about? I never said that."

Abbey looked over at Hayden. She looked as if someone had just drop-kicked her heart across the room.

"Ann, please, you really need to leave now," Abbey said, her voice weary.

Ann smirked. "Okay, I'll leave, if you insist." Ann looked at Hayden and set the bottle of champagne and gla.s.ses on the night stand. "Here, kid, if you get her drunk enough, she'll do amazing things to you."

"Get out!" Abbey yelled.

Ann headed for the door. Abbey picked up the bottle of champagne and hurled it in Ann's direction. Ann slammed the door closed just in time for the bottle to miss her and shatter onto the floor in a thousand pieces.

Abbey was on her knees in the middle of the room sobbing. This was a nightmare beyond belief. Her body trembled with anger and fear.

Hayden ran to the door and flung it open. "That woman is crazy. I'm not going to let her treat you like that and get away with it." Hayden ran out into the hall.

"Hayden, don't!" Abbey cried. "She's not worth it." Abbey punched the floor with her fist. "Hayden, come back."

After finding no sign of Ann in the hall, Hayden returned to the room. Abbey looked up at Hayden, who had tears in her eyes. "Hayden, you've got to believe that I never told Ann that you didn't mean anything to me."

"Why would she say that then?"

"Because she's being a vindictive b.i.t.c.h."

"How could you let someone like that in your life?"

"I don't know. I was young and stupid, I guess."

Hayden looked down. "Is that what you think I am-young and stupid?"

"That's the last thing I think you are."

Hayden looked at Abbey, her eyes were red rimmed and swollen, her nose was running, and her lips quivered. "Then why can't we be together?"

Abbey sighed. "I tried to explain it to you."

"But I don't understand. One minute, we're together, and it's wonderful. You even said so yourself."

Abbey nodded. "I know I did, but that doesn't make it right."

"So how can you feel so pa.s.sionate about someone, then deny that those feelings were ever there?"

"I'm not denying it." Abbey's heart felt like it was stuck in her throat. Admitting that to Hayden surely wouldn't make this any easier-for either of them.

Abbey looked up and saw Hayden studying her intently. "I don't know what you want me to say." Her voice faded to a hushed stillness.

"Is the real reason you don't want to be with me because you want to go back to her?"

Abbey shuddered inwardly at the thought. After a long pause, "No" was all she could manage. She had never felt so vulnerable in her life.

Hayden wanted to believe what Abbey was telling her, but mixed feelings surged through her, and something deep inside expressed doubt. It was difficult to ignore the pain she felt when she heard Ann say those words about her, but it hurt even more to think that was how Abbey truly felt.

But Hayden looked down at Abbey, and her heart turned over in response. She pushed all those thoughts away, knelt next to Abbey, and held her hand. "She's gone now and it's over."

Abbey's face crumbled as she cried harder because she knew it wasn't over. She knew Ann, and she knew this was only the beginning. Abbey felt like a fool for considering working things out with Ann. Especially now. Even though she missed the security of her old life, she should have stuck with her instincts and never let Ann in.

Haunted by the suspicion that Ann would be back, Abbey bolted up. "Hayden, you better go."

Hayden stood, as well. "What if she comes back? Will you be all right?"

"Yes, I'll be fine. I've known Ann for a long time. She's upset because she didn't get something she wanted. She'll calm down. Anyway, I should know how to deal with her by now, shouldn't I?"

Hayden shrugged.

Abbey walked Hayden to the door and opened it. Before leaving, Hayden turned toward her. "Can I come by and see you again?"

Abbey smiled. "I'll call you," she said and kissed Hayden on the cheek.

That's when the flash went off.

Startled, Hayden and Abbey turned toward the direction the flash came from and saw Ann running down the hallway and disappear into the elevator.

Anger propelled Abbey down the hall after Ann. With every step, her jaw became firmer, her muscles tighter, and her heart more eager to get revenge. It was almost like a hunger.

The elevator doors slid closed behind Ann before Abbey could get to her. Abbey punched the closed elevator door as she and Hayden stood helplessly in the elevator bank.

Fear and dread, the after matter of her adrenaline rush, washed over Abbey. Her life seemed to be drowning in overpowering circ.u.mstances, and she knew there was no easy way out. She'd have to go to Ann and plead for her mercy.

Abbey looked over at Hayden. She was pale and trembling.

"Hayden, I'm sorry you had to see that. Are you okay?"

Hayden nodded. "Just a little shook up. I'm not used to seeing people act that way. Is she always like that?"

Abbey chuckled to herself. "Unfortunately, yes."

Chapter Twenty-one.

Tears streamed down Hayden's cheeks as she left Abbey's hotel. That afternoon's events only confirmed that what she had perceived to have been the most beautiful experience of her life had turned out to be the most painful. She didn't want to go home yet because she didn't want to face Calli, who would ask her a thousand questions. She drove to Presque Isle to the spot where she and Abbey were the previous night...before everything fell apart.

Hayden sat behind the wheel of the Civic and looked out at the lake. It was windy and the white caps were breaking on the sh.o.r.e. Hayden closed her eyes, reliving the pain of that final scene when Abbey told her what they did was wrong. It didn't feel wrong to her.

She thought about Ann and the awful things she said to her and Abbey. How could you claim to love someone and treat her so badly? Why did love have to hurt so much? Wasn't it supposed to be the most wonderful thing that could happen to you?

A police car slowly drove by. Not wanting any further contact with the Presque Isle police, Hayden put the car in gear and headed home. When she got there, she was relieved to find that Calli wasn't there. Finally, she could have some peace and quiet. She made herself a cup of tea and retired to her bedroom. She tried to read but didn't comprehend a thing. She couldn't stop thinking about Abbey. How could Abbey have been so close to that woman who treated her so bad? Ann seemed like a big bully and what right did she have to treat her and Abbey the way she did? And just because she was young didn't mean her feelings didn't count.

Enough of this pity party, Hayden thought. Even if Abbey and I aren't meant to be together, there is no way I'm going to allow her to be treated that way. Anger gave her courage as she got back in the car and headed to Abbey's hotel.

After Hayden left, Abbey headed to the house. She pulled into the driveway and raced up the front walk. She barged in the front door using her key.

"Ann! Ann, I know you're here." Abbey searched the living room and the kitchen. "Ann!"

"I'm right here." Ann stepped out of the bedroom into the hall.

"Look, I don't know what you're trying to pull, but you won't get away with it."

"I'm not trying to pull anything." Ann's voice had an eerie calm to it.

"Why did you take my picture?"

"What picture?"

"Cut the c.r.a.p. I saw you get on the elevator."

"Oh, that picture. It might be useful someday."

"Useful for what?"

"St. Mary's school board might be interested in it."

"Are you kidding me? Not only have you destroyed our relationship, now you want to destroy my career? Why are you being such a b.i.t.c.h?"

"I want you to come back to me. I don't like to lose things. I tried to get you to come back nicely, but I'm not sure that's enough to get you to really think about it. With the picture of you kissing a student in a hotel room, maybe you'll consider my offer a little more seriously."

"Former student!" Abbey shot back.

Ann waved her hand. "Whatever. Still it doesn't look good for you."

"So you're going to blackmail me? You of all people? Did you forget that I was your student when we got together?"

"That was different. You were at least of age. That girl can't be more than sixteen or seventeen."

Abbey cringed hearing those words, even though Ann spoke the truth.

"And, Abbey, if this gets out, St Mary's is going to have a field day with it, and you can kiss your career as a teacher goodbye. Face it, you f.u.c.ked up big-time."

A lump formed in Abbey's throat so big that she felt like she couldn't breathe. There was no way out now. She had to do what Ann wanted or risk everything that was meaningful in her life.

Abbey lowered her head, her body slumped in despair. "Okay, Ann. You win." Abbey's voice was weary.

"That's my girl." Ann smiled. "Now go get your things from that hotel and bring them back home where you belong. If you hurry, we can still spend a few days at the beach house."

Slowly, Abbey walked to her car. She had never felt this defeated in her life. Abbey drove to the hotel to collect her things and check out. She was beyond pain, she was simply hanging on to survival now. Fatigue oozed from every pore as she packed her belongings. Gla.s.s chards from the broken champagne bottle crunched under her shoes as she stood in the doorway and scanned the hotel room one last time before leaving. How could someone who is supposed to love you hurt you to the point where you totally lose yourself?

Before she left the room, she noticed the roses in the ice bucket that Hayden had brought her. She walked over to them and inhaled deeply. She remembered the look on Hayden's face when she gave her the flowers. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt joy in such a simple gesture. Too bad things couldn't be different, she thought. If she and Hayden had met under different circ.u.mstances.... She grabbed her suitcase and the roses and headed toward the lobby to settle her bill with the manager. After loading her car, she sat in the parking lot, unable to move.

An eerie calm settled over her. Suddenly, her mind blew open and everything seemed crystal clear. She put the car in gear, but instead of heading home to Ann, Abbey got on the interstate. In a breathless, instant release, she felt free. f.u.c.k Ann, she thought and headed back to Youngstown to see if the house she rented from Mr. Mahoney was still available.

Chapter Twenty-two.

Hayden's heart sank when she reached the hotel and Abbey's car wasn't in the parking lot. The only other place she thought Abbey could be was The Zone. So she headed to the bar, hoping even if she wasn't there, maybe someone could tell her where to find her. There were a handful of cars in the parking lot when Hayden pulled in. She went inside and recognized Sharon, the bartender, from before. As she approached the bar to ask if Abbey had been there, someone familiar caught her eye.

Calli was sitting at a table in the corner.

"Calli, what are you doing here?"

Calli stood, obviously surprised to see Hayden. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for Abbey. I went to her hotel to see to her, but she was gone. Something is going on with her, and I have to find out if she's okay."

Hayden looked around. "Calli, did you come here alone?"

As soon as she said the words, Joey, the guy Calli had at the house the other night, came out of the ladies' room. This struck Hayden as odd. But the closer Joey got to the table, the more things seemed to make more sense. At first, Hayden was shocked, but not sure what shocked her more-the fact that Joey was really a girl or the fact that Calli had been in bed with her.

"Joey, this is my roommate Hayden." Joey extended her hand to Hayden. It was as soft and supple as her own.

"It's nice to meet you."

Hayden looked over at Calli and couldn't help but smile. She tilted her head slightly and stole a sideways look at Joey. There was an inherent strength in her face. She had compelling dark eyes and smooth olive skin that stretched over high cheekbones.

Calli coughed. "We were on our way to the movies and decided to stop in here for a drink."

"Oh, I see," Hayden said.

"I'm going to the bar. Can I get you anything?" Joey asked Hayden.

"No, thank you," Hayden said. "I won't be staying long."

Joey sauntered over to the bar. Hayden plopped down into the chair next to Calli. "So you want to tell me what's going on?" Hayden said, grinning.